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Baltimore Blast defused?
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Blast defused?
The Blast don’t have a league.
Now, it may not have a home field.
The 1st Mariner Arena will be demolished, and a new arena will be built in its place, according to the Baltimore Business Journal, which cited unnamed sources.
The construction of a new arena will leave Baltimore without an indoor facility for at least two years, which puts the five-time Major Indoor Soccer League champion Blast in jeopardy of being homeless, according to Blast investor/operator Ed Hale.
“For all intents and purposes it puts us out of business,” Hale said. “In some cases, on special nights, we would have 11,000 people there. There’s no place around for us to go.”
Hale has been spearheading a plan to build a new arena in Canton, on the east side of Baltimore, which would enable his team to continue its operations as normal.
Local college arenas at Towson, Loyola and UMBC don’t have the necessary seating capacity to house the team. And the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center is outside of the Blast’s market.
The Major Indoor Soccer League folded May 31, and the various management heads of each team have met in hopes of resuscitating the league for the 2008-09 season.
“We'll be playing this year, there's no doubt,” Blast president Kevin Healey. “We have not put together what it will look like.”
— Aaron Cahall and Sean Welsh
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:45 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 20, 2008 re: "Baltimore Blast defused?"
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4:16 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 20, 2008
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2:51 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 20, 2008
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5:52 PM MST on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008
re: "Baltimore's MLS Blast looks to add to dynasty"
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8:32 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008
re: "Baltimore Blast sets fire to ticket sales"
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6:41 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008
re: "Baltimore Blast sets fire to ticket sales"
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8:38 AM MST on Sun., Dec. 9, 2007
re: "Detroit Ignition blasts past Baltimore, 19-11"
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Albert said:
Time to move up to the MLS Ed. Talk to Crystal Palace
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Neil said:
Good, Hale's the reason why the process for a new arena has been so slow. Now that his team is without a league, it can sit on the sidelines while something is now being done.
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Chief Hangemkillem said:
Janet Marie Smith is evil, and she should be stopped now!
4 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Baltimore Blast are in the MISL, not the MLS (that is outdoor soccer). Nice article
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AMERICA CALLING said:
seems to me that d kelly has to refer to his ps2 to manage the team get a new coach
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Examiner Reader said:
Blast games are the best entertainment for-the-buck in Baltimore! On Christian Youth night, you get a free concert after the game! Love the Blast!
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Examiner Reader said:
Why is it not mentioned in this article that Sagu played like he had lead weights in his pants. The Blast out-shot Detroit with shots on which the Ignition goalie had to make spectacular saves. Sagu made mostly routine saves and several of the goals he allowed should have been routine saves from ok, but not great, shots by the Ignition. Simply put the game was won by outstanding goalkeeping and lost by what appeared to be a sedated effort in the net. Is it just me, or is it time Sagu was given a better view of the game, say from the second row.
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